Forum Issues Need help with Chrysler Forum? Ask. Have a suggestion to better Chrysler Forum? Tell us here.

Battery Drain

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 10-22-2012, 04:56 PM
BPL's Avatar
BPL
BPL is offline
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 3
Default Battery Drain

If we leave our battery tender on our 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee over the weekend when no one drives the car the car will start. If we go away for 2 or more days the car won't start. We can jump start or slow charge the battery and it will work for a few months. We have gone through 4 or 5 batteries and that helps for a while. Someone mentioned a neutral switch drain could be the cause. Has anyone else had this problem?
 
  #2  
Old 10-22-2012, 09:44 PM
dcotter0579's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Detroit suburb
Posts: 5,649
Default

You need to see if you have a short somewhere. Get a volt-ohmmeter with an ammeter function. Disconnect the battery, then reconnect a jumper between the terminals you disconnected. Wait a few minutes for the surge to settle down. Connect the ammeter across those terminals, then remove the jumper. You should read something in the neighborhood of 50 milliamperes or less. (0.050 amperes) If it's more than that, you'll need to start removing fuses until you isolate the current load. Be aware that there is an IOD fuse (ignition off draw) that allows current to flow to the clock and the keyless remote receiver that are always drawing some current as well as the door locks and power seat that can be activated even without the key in the ignition. So if you pull a fuse and the current goes to zero, you have probably found the IOD fuse.
Once you find the truly offending fuse, you'll need to figure out what in its circuit is causing the short and fix it.
This isn't rocket science but some common sense and patience may allow you to avoid an expensive trip to an automotive electrician.
If the car has had some collision damage, there might be a pinched wire somewhere. That would be a good place to start looking.
BY the way, "Forum Issues" is not the best place to pose questions relating to your vehicle. It's for issues related to the forum.
 
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
darlon
Chrysler 200 & Sebring
8
01-16-2012 05:00 PM
Dave Rogers
Chrysler Voyager & Town & Country
25
04-03-2010 12:54 PM
Ian
Chrysler Voyager & Town & Country
14
09-02-2009 01:43 PM
Dave Rogers
Chrysler Voyager & Town & Country
4
03-01-2009 08:32 AM
quattj
Chrysler Voyager & Town & Country
2
02-02-2007 10:30 AM



Quick Reply: Battery Drain



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:02 AM.